Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhongli City and Taichung Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhongli City and Taichung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,058 in Zhongli City versus $1,203 in Taichung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,780 in Zhongli City versus $1,954 in Taichung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,502 in Zhongli City versus $2,704 in Taichung.

Living in Zhongli City costs roughly 12% less than in Taichung, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhongli City 21% lower, Taichung 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 NT$163

$4.99 NT$158

3.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.19 NT$639

$29.95 NT$948

-32.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 NT$146

$5.46 NT$173

-15.75%

Cappuccino

$2.49 NT$78.8

$2.93 NT$92.8

-15.02%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 NT$22.96

$1.16 NT$36.63

-37.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 NT$18.09

$0.86 NT$27.21

-33.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 NT$44.39

$2.16 NT$68.4

-35.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 NT$47.53

$2.83 NT$89.6

-47.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.31 NT$105

$3.79 NT$120

-12.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 NT$55.3

$1.75 NT$55.5

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 NT$86.4

$2.77 NT$87.8

-1.44%

Eggs

$2.58 NT$81.8

$3.29 NT$104

-21.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.96 NT$980

$31.49 NT$997

-1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 NT$252

$8.10 NT$256

-1.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.71 NT$497

$15.61 NT$494

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.51 NT$143

$4.72 NT$150

-4.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 NT$55.2

$1.82 NT$57.7

-4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 NT$72.3

$2.28 NT$72.2

Tomato (1kg)

$2.95 NT$93.4

$3.07 NT$97.2

-3.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 NT$40.29

$1.35 NT$42.59

-5.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 NT$59.5

$1.88 NT$59.4

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 NT$73.0

$2.35 NT$74.3

-1.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 NT$39.25

$1.28 NT$40.64

-3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 NT$132

$4.14 NT$131

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 NT$497

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 NT$52.9

$1.65 NT$52.1

1.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 NT$73.6

$2.62 NT$82.9

-11.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 NT$19.69

$0.86 NT$27.25

-27.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 NT$1,284

$29.22 NT$925

38.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 NT$88.7

$2.96 NT$93.7

-5.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 NT$25.17

$1.23 NT$38.90

-34.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.02 NT$317

$10.33 NT$327

-3.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 NT$31.19

$1.00 NT$31.79

-1.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.6K NT$1.1M

$34.4K NT$1.1M

-2.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.0K NT$822.4K

$26.4K NT$835.4K

-1.56%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$95.9 NT$3,034

$97.3 NT$3,080

-1.47%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.45 NT$426

$24.15 NT$764

-44.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.15 NT$321

$21.53 NT$681

-52.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.36 NT$1,183

$35.96 NT$1,138

3.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.03 NT$476

$10.14 NT$321

48.22%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 NT$289

$10.66 NT$337

-14.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$361 NT$11.4K

$356 NT$11.3K

1.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K NT$665.4K

$21.0K NT$664.8K

0.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 NT$1,899

$85.7 NT$2,712

-29.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.29 NT$642

$34.47 NT$1,091

-41.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 NT$2,463

$93.9 NT$2,972

-17.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 NT$2,156

$131 NT$4,137

-47.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 NT$13.8K

$385 NT$12.2K

12.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$256 NT$8,107

$281 NT$8,893

-8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 NT$32.9K

$1,025 NT$32.4K

1.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 NT$23.5K

$714 NT$22.6K

4.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,104 NT$224.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,345 NT$169.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,336 NT$73.9K

$1,415 NT$44.8K

65.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.1

2.18

-3.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Zhongli City: April 26, 2026

Last update for Taichung: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Zhongli City and $385 in Taichung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongli City pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Zhongli City vs $30.00 in Taichung for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $398 per month, with Zhongli City cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zhongli City vs Taichung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhongli City wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Taichung. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhongli City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Zhongli City pays 65% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $435 in Zhongli City versus $385 in Taichung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zhongli City – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $30.00 in Taichung. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,058 per month in Zhongli City versus $1,203 in Taichung – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in Zhongli City versus $1,203 in Taichung, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhongli City but tight or insufficient in Taichung. The gap between the two cities makes Zhongli City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Zhongli City and Taichung are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Zhongli City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Taichung. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.